JP Morgan Summer Reading List

The 15th Bi-Annual JP Morgan Reading List is out, with a characteristically rich selection of ten recommended titles in several categories (business, sports, art, adventure, science, cooking, philanthropy, and personal growth). Among the fine books, I’d heartily endorse as number one Col. Chris Hadfield’s An Astronaut’s Guide to Life on Earth, a gripping and engaging account of space travels with lessons for life.

A notable new feature this year is a retrospective on the 15th anniversary. The editors explain:

The Reading List began as a way for us to share timely, thoughtful and relevant titles that piqued our interest. . . . [T]his year we have reached the 15-year mark. To celebrate this anniversary, we asked some of our favorite authors from previous lists to share with us their thoughts on writing, imagination, inspiration and the creative process. Here are their fascinating responses . . . .

Among those 15 authors are Malcolm Gladwell (Tipping Point), Jim Collins (Good to Great), Tom Friedman (The World is Flat), George Taber (Judgment of Paris), and yours truly (How To Think Like Benjamin Graham and Invest Like Warren Buffett).

I speak to how my work on a given topic often needs to reach different audiences using different media. In addition to (1) books such as the one they featured for a general audience, I gave the examples, concerning investors and financial oversight, of (2) a white paper for a professional group, (3) an article for academic researchers, (4) a textbook for my students, and (5) blog posts here at Concurring Opinions for the widest audience of all.